Flotation machine



Feb. 23 1926.

S. E. MEYER FLOTATION MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24, 1924 Feb. 23 1926.

1,574,403 S. E. MEYER FLQTATION MACHINE Filed Oct.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F... i n

gnvenfoz E slid/156,:

Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

STEPHEN ERNEST MEYER, or HAYDEN, ARIZONA FLOIA'TION MACHINE.

Application filed October 24, 1924. Serial No. 745,624.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN EnNn-s'r lvlnvnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hayden in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Flotation Machine of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flotation machines and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to providea machine to beused for separating minerals such as gold, silver and copper from their ores. The method or process being termed oil flotation, the oil forming a froth which gathers up the mineral after it has been crushed and pulverized to a very fine condition and mixed with water. After the mineral has been gathered up by the froth it is floated over an edge in the cell in which the gathering takes place and is pre cipitated into a receiver from which it is automatically Withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for reusing the air which is employed for agitating the pulp.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one cell of the flotation machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of the intermediate portion of the cell of the flotation machine.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of valve controlling means used in the froth receiver of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section through the lower portion of the cell showing the mat partially in section."

The machine and apparatus include a pulp feed pipe 1 having a valve 2 which controls the passage of material therethrough. machine and apparatus also includes an air pipe 3 having a valve 4 which controls the passage of the air therethrough. Both of the pipes 1 and 3 communicate with the lower portion of a cell 5, the pipe 1 communicating with the cell at a point above that point at which the pipe 3 communicates therewith. A concaved mat 7 of porous concrete material is located in the lower portion of the cell 5 and its peripheral edge is disposed in a plane lying between the points of connection of the pipes 1 and 3 with the cell 5, thereby forming an air dis- The.

tributing chamber 6 under the edge portion of the mat 7 and in the lower portion of the cell 5. A froth receiving tank 8 is applied to the sidesof the cell 5 and its upper interior portion is in communication with the intern'iediate portion of the'cell 5 through an opening 9 provided in the side wall of the cell. A launder trough 10 is disposed transversely across the interior of the upper portron of the cell approximately at the level of the opening 9 in the wall thereof. The

upper interior portion of the cell 5 constitut'es an air or gas chamber 13. A water supply pipe 14 is provided with a controlling valve 15 and the said supply pipe enters the cell 5. A water supply pipe 16 enters the upper portion of the froth receiving tank 8.

The pipe 16 is provided with a'controlling valve 17. A frame 18 is mounted adjacent the upper end of the cell 5 and a pulley 19 is journaled upon the top of the said cell. A packing gland 20 is provided in the top of the cell. A float guide 22' is located in the upper portion ofthe cell and is provided with an air event 21 located in the vicinity of the top of the said cell. A wire 23 passes through the packing gland 20 and is trained over the pulley 19 and its lower end is connected with a float 24 which is mounted for movement in the float guide 22. The water pipe 14 is provided at its lowerend with a spraying nozzle 25 and which is located interiorly of the cell 5 below the launder 10. A launder 26 is disposed transversely across thelaunder 10 and is provided with an inclined bottom wall extending from one end to the other. The lower end of the bottom wall of the launder 26 is at the level of the lower edge of the opening 9 in the sides of the cell 5. V The float 24 carries at its lower end the weight 27 which is housed in the guide 22-. A float guide is located in the lowerportion of the froth receiving tank 8 and is provided in the vicinity of its upper end with an air vent 28. Braces 29 are interposed between the sides of the guide 30 and the froth receiving tank 8 and serve to hold the said guide in proper position in the said tank. A float 31 is mounted for movement in the guide 30 and is connected with the upper end" of a wire 32 which passes through a packing gland 33,1ocated in the bottom wall of the tank 8. A discharge pipe 38 connects with the interior of the tank 8 through the bottom thereof and is provided with a valve 37 having a lever upon its stem. A weight 36 is connected with the lower end of the wire 32 and engages the lever 35 of the valve 37. A deflector plate 39 is located in the lower portion of the cell 5 below the lower end of the guide 22 and spaced therefrom. A pulp outlet pipe a0 is connected with the bottom of the cell 5 at the center of the mat 7, and may be connected with the next adjacent cell of a series of cells. A slide valve 41 is located in the pipe 40 and is connected with a weighted lever 42 fulcrumed upon the pipe 40. A pulley 4a is journaled in the frame 18 and the wire 23 hereinbetore described is trained over the pulley ist and connected with the lever 42.

In operation the pulp is passed into the cell 5 through the pipe 1 and is deposited in the cell above the mat 7. At the same time air under pressure is passed into the cell 5 below the mat 7 and through the pipe 3. The air passes up through the pores of the mat and passes through the pulp subjecting the same to agitation. The air also forms a froth upon the pulp. is the level of the pulp rises in the cellvthe froth is carried up and at. the same time water is admitted into the upper portion of the cell and into the froth receiving tank. The lroth passes over the edges of the launders 10 and 26 and moves along the bottoms thereof and through the opening 9 into the froth receivingtank 8. Thus the metal which is held in suspension by the froth is separated from,

theore and iscarried by the froth into the tank'8. When the material in the tank 8 assumes a level which will lift the float 31 the said float is moved vertically together with the connecting wire 32 and the valve 37 is opened whereby the material in the lower portion of the tank 8 may flow out of the same through the pipe 38. When the 'iloat 31 descends the valve 37 is closed by the weight 36. When the float 24 is elevated by the influx of the material into the cell through the pipe 40 into the next adjacent cell of the series of cells and when the float 24 descends under the inliuence oi the weight 27 the wire 23 is moved longitudinally whereby the valve 4-1 is moved from an open to a closed position in the pipe 4-0 .11;

and the flow of the pulp from the initial cell to the next adjacent cell of the series oi? cells is interrupted. An air outlet pipe 15 connects the top of the initial cell 5 with the lower portion of the next adjacent cell of the series of cells and consequently the air which has been passed through the material and froth in the initial cell may be reused in the next adjacent cell of the series and so on throughout all of the cells which may be included in the series of cells.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 2- In a flotation machine of the class described, a pair of cells, froth collecting means within the cells, means for admitting pulp into the lower portion of one cell, means for admitting air into the lower portion of the last mentioned cell, a mat located in the last mentioned cell and disposed between the pulp and air admission means, a gas conducting pipe leading from the bottom of the last mentioned cell, a pipe leading from the top of the last mentioned cell the cell being otherwise closed against the escape of gas, the first mentioned pipe communicating with the other cell in its bottom portion, the second pipe communicating with the other cell below the first mentioned pipe, a mat located in the other cell and disposed between the two pipes, avalve in the first mentioned pipe, and float control means in the first cell for controlling said valve.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

STEPHEN E. MEYER. 

